It?s almost a year since the roof of Howrah?s Town Hall collapsed, but the authorities have yet to start repairs or take steps to renovate the 142-year-old heritage structure.

?Around Rs 80 lakh will be needed to renovate the hall. We are tapping various sources, but it?s difficult to raise such a large sum in a short period,? said Howrah mayor Gopal Mukherjee.

He added that reconstructing the roof is a tough job and experts have to be employed for doing so. Finding a mason willing to carry out the work without disturbing the existing construction was proving to be difficult, he said.

The roof of Howrah?s Town Hall, one of the district?s oldest heritage structures, collapsed on January 4.

A temporary tarpaulin roof, supported by logs, was erected after the collapse.

The tarpaulin is damaged and is failing to provide protection against the weather.

The oil paintings that would adorn the walls of the hall are now dumped in a storeroom.

Even the roof of the ground floor, which houses several offices, is in a bad state and has been bolstered with logs to prevent a cave-in.

Mayor Mukherjee, however, asserted that the building is not unsafe and is structurally so strong that it can withstand at least 10 mine explosions. ?The logs are meant to support the wooden floor,? he said.